Although many schools within the United Kingdom adopt practices, such as the use of prefects or playtime monitors, there is very little research that explores how such practices are experienced by children who take on these roles. This small-scale study explores the experiences of a small group of children who volunteered to be playtime monitors and subsequently withdrew from the scheme. By adopting a focus group method, the study allows us to consider what being a playtime monitor meant for the children who volunteered and gives an indication of their expectations. Issues relating to power and identity feature strongly in what motivated the children to volunteer. However, these children soon started to see their responsibilities as oppressive as the role effectively deprived them of their playtime.